PgDip/MSc Energy Programme/Subsurface Material Balance Applications

Material Balance Applications

The general material balance equation (GMB) is usually written in the following
form:-

Np ⎡⎣ Bt + (R p − R si )Bg ⎤⎦ − (We − Wp Bw )
N =
⎛B ⎞ (1 + m)(Sw c cw + cf )Δp
Bt − Bt i + mBt i ⎜⎜ g − 1⎟⎟ + Bt i
⎝ Bgi ⎠ (1 − Sw c )

(Note that this is a rather unusual form in which to write an equation, since for a
given reservoir starting from given initial conditions the quantity N will have a
constant value).

It is recommended that when solving material balance problems the process

should always start from the GMB, since this takes into account all drive
mechanisms (with the exception of water injection which can easily be allowed for
as will be shown below). When the data given in the problem is assessed, it will
normally be found that some of the terms in the equation are identically zero (e.g.
for the case of an initially undersaturated reservoir, when m=0), or can be
assumed negligible. The equation can then be simplified and rearranged in a
more convenient form to obtain a solution.

It is helpful to look at the physical significance of the terms in the GMB equation,
and this can be done as follows:-
The term -
Np ⎡⎣ Bt + (R p − R si )Bg ⎤⎦
represents the total volume (in rb) which would be occupied by the oil
and gas produced when measured at the final reservoir conditions (i.e. the
underground withdrawal).
The term -
(We − Wp Bw )
represents the net water influx into the reservoir in rb (i.e. the influx from the
aquifer minus the water production).
The term -
Bt − Bt i
represents the expansion of the oil and the gas liberated from it in rb per stb of oil.
The term -
⎛ Bg ⎞
mBt i ⎜ − 1⎟
⎜ Bgi ⎟
⎝ ⎠

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PgDip/MSc Energy Programme/Subsurface Material Balance Applications

represents the expansion of the gas in the gas cap (rb) per stb of oil. This term is
obviously zero for an undersaturated reservoir (since this will have no gas cap
and therefore m is zero).
The term -
(1 + m)(Sw c cw + cf )Δp
Bti
(1 − Sw c )
represents the volume change due to formation compaction and connate water
expansion in rb per stb of oil. In a saturated reservoir this term will be much
smaller than the contribution due to the compressibility of the free gas present,
and it is therefore usually neglected when the reservoir pressure is below the
bubble point for all or most of the production period.

The GMB material balance equation as shown above makes use of the total
formation volume factor Bt .This is defined by:-

Bt = Bo + (Rsi − Rs) Bg
From this it can be seen that Bt represents the volume of oil plus the volume of the
gas originally dissolved in it, measured in rb, required to give 1 stb of produced oil.
The relationship between Bo and Bt can be illustrated by the following diagram:-

Bt

(Rsi − Rs)Bg

Bo

1.0
0 Pressure
Bubble-point pressure

Clearly, at pressures above the bubble point Bo = Bt since no gas can be released
from solution under these conditions. In practice, PVT data measured for crude oil
samples is usually presented in terms of Bo, Rs and Bg and the Bt values are not

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PgDip/MSc Energy Programme/Subsurface Material Balance Applications

given; however, they can always be calculated from the Bo and Rs data as
required.

It will be noticed that in the form of the GMB given above no allowance has been
made for water injection into the reservoir carried out during waterflooding
operations. If water in being injected this can easily be allowed for by including it
in the water term which then becomes:-
We + WIBw − WpBw

where WI = the volume of water injected during production (in stb)

This term can also be written as:-

We + (WI − Wp)Bw

where (WI − Wp) is called the net water injection and is in stb.

The two sample solutions to material balance problems which follow (taken
from the Material Balance Examples - 1 tutorial sheet) illustrate the various points
mentioned above.

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